Chirac calls for urgent talks after Paris violence

[sasha031]

The French president, Jacques Chirac, yesterday called for swift talks between the government and unions over a youth employment law after protests in Paris against the measure ended in violence and 187 arrests.Unions and student groups were reported to be planning further action today, claiming up to 600,000 university and high school students took part in Thursday's action. They have tied any talks to withdrawal of the employment law, which is opposed by 68% of French people, according to an opinion poll published in Le Parisien newspaper yesterday, a rise of 13 percentage points in a week.

Critics say the legal reform will create a generation of "disposable workers", but yesterday ministers tried to conciliate growing opposition, one saying no worker could be laid off without justification. The first employment contract (CPE) was designed to cut youth unemployment by allowing employers to dismiss workers under 26 within their first two years in a job."You know the government is ready for dialogue and I hope this will start as quickly as possible," Mr Chirac said at an awards ceremony at his official Elysee Palace residence. "This demonstration must take place calmly and respect everyone," he said of the protest due in central Paris

http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,,1733760,00.html